New Features in ADT 2.13 for Web Dynpro ABAP development

With the release of ABAP Development Tools 2.13, comes an enhanced development environment for Web Dynpro ABAP. We have added many features to improve productivity for you. This document will take you through a tour of the major features added.

Some of the features depends on specific backend and i have specified backend in their title. They will be also marked as following:

740 SP3 : Works with 740 SP3 and onwards

731 SP7: Works with 731 SP7 only

If not flagged with above markers, the feature is backend Independent, i.e. It works with all backends where Web Dynpro ABAP is supported i.e. 731 SP7 and 740 SP2+.

Enabling more forward navigation:

Navigation in Context page of Controller Editor

In Context Editor, select a mapped Context in left tree and press F3 to show mapping

In Context Editor, select a Context node or Context Attribute in the right tree and F3 to open the respective Controller editor with Context Node or Context Attribute highlighted.

Navigate to Event for Event Handlers

You can select event handlers and click on the hyperlink of bound event to navigate to editor where event is defined

F3 Navigation in Method for dirty controller (unsaved controller):

If you create a new method in a Controller which is unsaved and trigger navigation, the navigation will happen to correct the location in implementation page.

Navigation from UI Element to Context Node:

You can select a property bound to UI element and navigate to bound context node\attribute. If UI element property is bound to context node\attribute, now a “Go” is available which will trigger navigation to place where context node\attribute is defined

Navigation from Declaration to Implementation page:

In Declarations page for Controller Editor: Select a Method, Supply Function or Event Handler and press F3 to trigger the navigation to the location in implementation page, where implementation code is specified.

Usability Enhancements in Context Editor

Easily change name of Context Node or Context Attribute:

You can just press F2 on a Context Node or Context Attribute in left context tree to trigger an inline rename dialog. Hence, you can avoid navigation to properties to change the name.

Sorting of Context Hierarchy:

The context hierarchy is sorted now. First level of sorting is done as Context Recursion Node -> Context Node -> Context Attribute and then second level sorting happen alphabetically. For Context Node bound to DDIC structure, the order is preserved. If the user changes the ordering in dictionary Element he can re-do the binding to have order same as in context structure.

Creation of Sibling Context Attribute:

When user creates a context attribute, the the newly created context attribute is selected. Now, even for this action “Add Context Attribute” is enabled and hence user can create the sibling.

Selecting images easily for View Designing (740 SP3):

You can select image from following SAP library collection categories using eclipse and use them in your views. When they select an image, preview of images is also shown to help them select an image.

This new dialog is available for 740 SP3+ backend but for older backend simple dialog is available where no preview of image is shown.

Formatting Implementation code (740 SP3)

Format Block and Format All option are now enabled in Implementation Page. It works in ABAP Class Editor. The settings for formatting can be done from the preferences.

Improvements in Floor Plan Manager Integration (740 SP3)

Developers can launch following from Project Explorer:

FPM Applications

FPM Application Configurations

To launch: Select the above entity in Project Explorer and use option Run AsàWeb Dynpro ABAP Application.

Usability improvements in View Editor

Layout and Layout data are displayed in respective tabs:

Layout and Layout Data property were part of “UI Element” tab but their setting were part of Layout and Layout Data tab respectively. Now, Layout property is part of Layout tab and Layout Data is part of Layout Data tab.

No Login Screen in View Designer Preview:

When you start View Designer, you will not be asked to enter username password anymore. The credentials used to login to ABAP Project is re-used for authentication.

Drag and Drop from left or right direction or right to left direction to create mapping

Automatic creation of Labels:

When user create UI element, labels are created for them automatically with LabelFor property for Label set to the UI element. This is done for selected UI Element e.g. InputField, TextView, FormattedTextView etc.

Displaying binding type:

Earlier, in properties view for UI elements, it was not easy for user to see if the binding is of type “DDIC”,”MIME”, “OTR” or “CONTEXT”. Now, the property has relevant icon which enables user to know it very easily.

General Usability Improvements in Controller Editor

Use filter in properties view for Context or UI Element:

In properties view if the list of properties is long, you can use filter to filter the list by name of property. You can type filter text and when you select another object in editor, it will keep the filter criteria and hence you can set same property value for different object faster and focused way.

Navigation History of the editors:

Now you quickly navigate forward and backward between editors. You don’t need to remember the flow and let the eclipse remember it for you.

Typing instead of using Dialog:

Developers can now type following directly as a text in input fields instead of using dialogs. This is implemented from the feedback we got from WDAIE CEI and internal developers, and gives more speed to the development.

Type for parameters in Methods, Event handlers etc.

Exceptions in Methods

Type for Context attribute

Dictionary Structure for Context Node

Outline View for Controller Editors:

View Editor, Component Controller Editor and Customer Controller editor have now outline view available. Selection in the Outline view enables the select in the Editor and hence can be used for quick navigation inside the editors.

Highlight occurrences of variables (740 SP3):

Developers can now press F1 in implementation page to open the language help for a ABAP construct. The language help is visible inside ABAP in Eclipse itself.

Language Help Integration (740 SP3)

Developers can now press F1 in implementation page to open the language help for a ABAP construct. The language help is visible inside ABAP in Eclipse itself.

Great thing about ABAP Development Tools is that latest client always works with all available backend system (starting from when the Tools were first introduced).

Hence, you can just focus on getting latest ADT i.e. ADT 2.13, and you will get required WDA with it. (Of course you need to select “ABAP Development Tools for Web Dynpro (Developer Edition)” ) from list of features.

You will also note the many features I listed above are not marked against any backend so they will work with any backend above 731 SP7 and 740 SP2.